Volunteers sought for Bailiwick Bat Survey

Last year the survey found 12 species including grey long-eared bat (pictured), serotine, leisler's bat and lesser horseshoe bat

Islanders are being asked to join the Bailiwick Bat Survey to work out how many species of bat are in the islands.

Volunteers are assigned a 500 sq m (5,000 sq ft) area in Guernsey, Alderney, Sark or Herm.

They are asked to put out a static bat detector on the end of a pole for a four-night period, twice a year, between April and the end of October.

The detector analyses the sounds of different bat species but can also pick up some insects and mammals too.

Last year 12 different bat species were recorded along with five small mammal species, six species of bush crickets, and two audible moth species.

In the survey's first year in 2021, the serotine was recorded for the first time in Guernsey, Alderney and Herm

Elaine Mahy, from the Bat Section of La Société Guernesiaise, surveyed 10 separate sites last year and was impressed by the results - "using these detectors means that we can find out a lot more than just a few people using individual, detectors."

Emily Coule said the bats show the health of the wider environment

Emily Coule, from Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services, said: "Last year, we found five species of bat that we hadn't recorded in Guernsey before so we're trying to understand how bats use our landscape.

"The first year of the Bailiwick Bat Survey has already provided us with so much useful information on a key group of species.

"Bats act as indicators for the health of our wider environment."

The survey is due to run until 2024.

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